Attachment for mail-bag catchers.



C. SUTTER.

ATTACHMENT FOR MAIL BAG CATCHERS.

APPHCATION FILED FEB. 2,1916.

Patented July 25 ATTO R N E! WITNESSES nurrn s'ran ATTACHMENT FORMAIL-BAG CATGHERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed February 2, 1916. Serial No. 75,714.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SUTTER, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inAttachments for MailBag Catchers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an attachment for mail bag catchers and hasfor its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, meansfor forcing the bag into the crook of a catcher arm and for furthermaintaining the bag in such position under such conditions overcomingthe dropping of the bag from the catcher when the bag is not caughtproperly.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an attachment for mailbag catchers for the purpose set forth, which is simple in itsconstruction and arrangement, strong, durable, eflicient and convenientin its use, readily set up, and inexpensive.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more specifically de scribed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modificationscan be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereuntoappended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views :Figure 1 is a top plan view of amail bagcatcher showing the adaptation therewith of an attachment inaccordance with this invention, the attachment being shown in full anddotted lines. Fig. 2 is a detail, broken away, and Fig. 3 is a detail.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 denotes a supporting rod providedwith a series of diagonally disposed spaced angleshaped notches 2, theforward wall of each being perpendicular and the rear wall beveled, asat 15, 16, respectively. The rod 1 is fixed to the side of a mail car,aswell as extending across the door-way thereof. 3 denotes a sleeveloosely mounted upon the rod 1 and which has attached thereto a handle4t. Carried by the sleeve 3 is a curved bracket 5 to which is connectedthe crock 6.

of a bag catcher arm 7 The foregoing elements constitute the form ofmail bag catcher now in general use, with this exception, that the rod 1is not provided. with the notches 2; these latter associate with theattachment to be presently referred to.

The arm 7 has an offset 8 near the crook 6 thereof and pivotally mountedthereon, as at 9, is a plate 10 having projecting therefrom a shiftingarm 11 and a pusher arm 12, the latter being provided with a handle 13and an offset 14.

The arm 11 is disposed at an angle with respect to the arm 12 and whenthe attachment is in normal position the arm 12 is arranged upon the arm7 and the arm 11 extends across the space formed between the arm 7 andthe rod 1 and said arm 11 is furthermore, when in normal position,arranged in close proximity to the mouth of the crook (S.

It will be assumed that the catcher is about to grab a bag and as thebag swings therein it engages the arm 11 causing the plate 10 to swingupon the pivot 9 and as the plate 10 swings the arm 12 will be shiftedacross the space between the arm 7 and rod 1 and the offset 14 willengage the bag, and on a further shifting of the plate 10, the arm 12will push the bag into the crook 6 causing the bag to be securely heldby the catcher. The arm 12 when it is shifted by the plate 10 will rideover the notches 2 in the rod 1 until the arm .12 has reached the limitof its movement, the beveled walls of the notches permitting ofsuchmovement. In case the arm 12 swings in an opposite direction, afterit has pushed the bag, it will seat in a notch and the forward wall ofthe latter will lock the arm.

lVhen the catcher is swung for the purpose of releasing the bagtherefrom the arm 12 will move out of the notch and the attachment willbe swung to normal position as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 and thebag can be readily removed fronr the catcher. V

What I claim is V 1. An attachment for mail bag catchers comprising thecombination with a catcher including a horizontally disposed supportingrod and a permanently inclined catcher arm having its rear end formedwith a substantially U-shaped crook pivotally connected with said rod,said arm having an outwardly projecting offset in advance of and inclose proximity to said crock, of a shift able plate pivotally mountedon said offset,

a shifting arm integral with said plate forwardly of the crook andnormally extending superposed on said catcher arm forwardly of the crookand inclined to correspond to the inclination of said catcher arm, andsaid rod having spaced diagonally disposed notches any one of which iscapable of receiving said pusher arm to lock it after being shifted in arearward direction from normal position by the impact of a mail bagagainst said shifting arm.

2. An attachment for mail bag catchers comprising the combination with acatcher including a horizontally disposed supporting rod and apermanently inclined catcher arm having its rear end formed with asubstantially U-shaped crook pivotally connected with said rod, said armhaving an outwardly projecting offset in advance of and in closeproximity to said crook, of a shiftable plate pivotally mounted on saidoffset, a shifting arm integral with said plate forwardly of the crookand normally extending in a direction toward and at an angle withrespect to said rod, a forwardly extending pusher arm integral with theplate and normally extending forwardly and superposed on said catcherarm forward of the crook and inclined to correspond to the inclinationof said catcher arm, and said rod having spaced diagonally disposednotches any one of which is capable of receiving said pusher arm to lockit after being shifted in a rearward direction by the impact of a mailbag against said shifting arm, said pusher arm having its forward armprovided with a handle offset with respect to the catcher arm.

3. An attachment for mail bag catchers I comprising the combination witha catcher including a horizontally disposed supporting rod and apermanently inclined catcher arm having its rear end formed with asubstantially U-shaped crook pivotally connected with said rod, said armhaving an outwardly projecting offset in advance of and in closeproximity to said crook, of a shiftable plate pivotally mounted on saidoffset, a shifting arm integral with said plate forwardly of the crookand normally extending in a direction toward and at an angle withrespect to said rod, saidshifting arm having its free end seating onsaid rod whereby the space between the latter and catcher arm isbridged, a forwardly extending pusher arm integral with the plate andnormally superposed on said catcher arm forwardly of the crook andinclined to correspond to the inclination of said catcher arm, and saidrod having spaced diagonally disposed notches any one of which iscapable of receiving said 131151161 arm to lock it afterbeing shifted inarm havingits rear end formed with a substantially U-shaped crookpivotally connected with said rod, said arm having an outwardlyprojecting offset in advance of and in close proximity to said crock, ofa shiftable plate pivotally mounted on said offset, a shifting armintegral with said plate forwardly of the crook and normally extendingin a direction toward and at an angle with respect to said rod, aforwardly extending pusher arm integral with the plate and normallyextending forwardly and superposed on said catcher arm forward of thecrook and inclined to correspond to the inclination of said catcher arm,and said rod having spaced diagonally disposed impact of a mail bagagainst said shifting arm, said pusher arm having its forward armprovided with a handle offset with respect to the catcher arm, and saidpusher arm further provided on its inner side near its rear end withanelongated lateral offset normally extending towardsaid rod.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses. V

7 CHARLES SUTTER.

-Witnesses: I

LUELLA H. SIMON, W. S. Jones.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioncrof Patents,

Washington, D. C. a

